What is the story about?
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday (March 25) cleared the modified regional air connectivity scheme, UDAN, for ten years till 2035-36, with an outlay of Rs
28,840 crore. Briefing media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday (march said 100 airports are to be developed from existing unserved airstrips under the scheme, particularly in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The total outlay for the development of the airports will be Rs 12,159 crore over the next eight years. The move is aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to build a globally competitive aviation sector.
200 Helipads, HAL Helicopters
The aim is to develop 200 modern helipads, entailing a total requirement of Rs 3,661 crore over the next eight years, an official release said. Under the scheme, airlines will be provided Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of Rs 10,043 crore over the 10 years. The government will also procure HAL Dhruv helicopters for Pawan Hans and HAL Dornier aircraft for Alliance Air to address the shortage of small aircraft on regional routes.
The scheme focuses on making air travel more affordable while boosting trade, tourism, and economic growth in remote regions. It also aims to improve healthcare access and emergency response in hilly and isolated areas. To ensure sustainability, the government will provide Viability Gap Funding of Rs 10,043 crore to airlines and operational support worth Rs 2,577 crore for airports.
Launched in 2016, the UDAN scheme has already operationalised 663 routes and connected 95 airports, benefiting over 1.6 crore passengers. The modified version is expected to further expand connectivity, reduce travel costs, and accelerate regional development across India.
